


You've Got A Pocket Full Of Reasons Why You're Here Tonight

by reindeerguardian



Series: Show Me Your Love [4]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: M/M, Prom, Underage Drinking, mixed romantic feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 06:38:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8701360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reindeerguardian/pseuds/reindeerguardian
Summary: Dib and Zim finally go to prom together





	

It was the night of the prom, and Dib Membrane sat in the living room of his lifelong home, nervous.  
The world was full of strange happenings. His ex-rival was upstairs getting ready with his little sister and even stranger, his father had taken the night off from work to witness his son's "big night". Gaz had uncharacteristicly offered to help Zim get ready tonight, which had caused Zim and Dib to share a look equal parts panic and disbelief. Professor Membrane had lent Dib his most prized bow tie for the occasion and Dib had accepted it in awe. His father had become unexpectedly gung-ho about the whole ordeal. Dib tugged nervously at his collar as his father adjusted Dib's boutinere proudly. He never thought he would attend his senior prom. Much less be taking Zim as his date. He thought about a few years ago, when he'd found himself romantically pining for the alien, hoping to oneday accompany Zim to prom. When Zim had rejected his initial romantic desires, Dib found himself suddenly hating the idea. But that was three years ago, when he had been a child. Recently Zim had admitted to finally returning his romantic andvances, but Dib had long since moved on. Hadn't he? He did make an attempt at dating a few months back, going out for coffee with Gretchen, but Dib, despite his best efforts, couldn't find himself attracted to her. She was pretty, braces long gone, and much more grown up. But he couldn't find himself wanting anything more than friendship from her. He'd explained these things to her and she had given him a sad smile and understood. He didn't understand why no matter how hard he tried to keep up a rivalry with Zim, there was always the lingering romantic tension between them.

 Speaking of Zim, the Irken called down from upstairs in a voice that demanded attention, "Now presenting, myself, the lovely Zim!" Dib rolled his eyes at this announcement, but soon found himself unable to look away.  
Zim descended the stairs with all the grace of royalty and Dib briefly wondered if the Irken had Tallest blood in him after all. His long maroon gown clung to his thin frame and and accentuated what little curves he had. The blood red of his dress was a beautiful contrast to his pale green skin. The dress trailed behind him like a waterfall of blood. He wore his Invader gloves, which went, oddly, rather well with the dress. His wig had been styled to curl in the front. On his feet were a pair of simple black heels that peeked between the folds of his dress with every step he took down the stairs. On his neck he wore a small gold chain with a single red gem pendant hanging just above the bust of his dress, dipping into his less than apparent cleavage. Zim walked over to where Dib stood, slack jawed in awe. Zim gave him a knowing smirk and Dib quickly regained his composure. He awkwardly slipped the corsage he'd been holding onto Zim's tiny wrist.  
Professor Membrane, apparently no longer able to hold back emotion at this display of intimacy, suddenly flew forward with a small sob and embraced the two of them.  
"My little boy is growing up." He cried, to Dib's horror. Zim patted the older man on the back with a chuckle. Membrane had a tripod camera set up just for the occasion. He stood behind it, directing the pair to get closer. There was a series of flashes that left Dib stunned for a moment, rubbing his eyes behind his glasses. When he looked again, The Professor stood up, drawing himself to full height, and placed both hands on Dib's shoulders.  
"Dib, my son, I trust you will be responsible tonight?" Dib rolled his eyes.  
"Yes, Dad. No alcohol, I have to drive." Professor Membrane chuckled and shook his head.  
"That's not what I meant! I meant I trust you to be responsible in using proper protection tonight, should your teenage hormones get the best of y-" He was quickly shut down by Dib screaming.  
"Oh my god Dad! That's not gonna happen!" he shrieked, promptly pushing his father away and attempting to open the front door while Zim looked on in confusion. By this point Gaz had joined them from upstairs, clearly not amused by the situation.  
Professor Membrane grinned. "I'm not encouraging anything, but I'm not discouraging either, alright? I want you to have a great prom experience." he winked. "If your night is anything like my senior prom, you'll be thankful I'm reminding you." Dib blushed, feeling awkward and out of his element. A horn sounded from the front yard and he opened the front door in confusion.  
There was a limo outside. Dib blinked in confusion before turning back to see his father giddy with excitement.  
"Dad, what is this?"  
"It's a limo," his father beamed. "I took the liberty of having one provided for your big night! Nothing but the best." Zim gave a noise of approval before taking Dib by the hand and dragging him to the limo out front. Dib called out over his shoulder 'goodbye' and 'thank you' to his father before opening the limo door for Zim to hop in.  
The two sat in silence for a moment once the vehicle came into motion. Dib was deep in thought. Ever since his father found out he was going to prom with Zim, he'd been acting so weird. So approving. It was strange and off putting and Dib decided he didn't want to think about it. Instead he glanced over at Zim, who was bouncing up and down in his seat with excitement. He really was beautiful. Dib sat back and tried to steel his growing anxiety. It was only a high school prom, but the prospect of dancing with Zim had his palms sweating more than he cared to dwell on. He took a deep breathe, exhaling through his mouth. Zim looked at him, obviously sensing his nerves and placed one gloved hand on Dib's. Dib pursed his lips but said nothing, choosing instead to look out the window at the passing scenery. He chanced a glance at Zim, who was looking out the oppositw window. The alien sensed he was being watched and looked up at Dib. 

"What?" He asked, suspicious. Dib cleared his throat, mouth suddenly dry. 

"Nothing. Just...you look really nice." He admitted. Zim's mouth split into a sharp toothed grin. He patted the human's hand before removing it. 

"You look 'really nice' too, Dib Worm." The Irken snickered, albiet not without a twinge of affection. 

They arrived parked outside the high school's gymnasium. Dib offered his arm to the alien and the two of them walked inside.  
The gynasium looked the same as it usually did, only dimly lit and full of streamers. The theme, ironically, was "Out Of This World", with the walls painted to look like space. Glow in the dark stars scattered across the ceiling. Dib mused that it looked rather nice, comsidering it seemed horrendously under bugdet. There were teenagers dancing to loud music on the main floor. Zim had already moved on, talking to a girl at a table a few feet away, always the social butterfly to Dib's introverted moth. He spied Robbie Dillinger by the punch bowl, whispering into another boy's ear. Robbie caught his eye and noticibly paled. Dib smirked.  
"Hey Zim, do you want some punch?" he asked, gaining the alien's attention.  
"Sure." Zim shrugged before being pulled back into conversation by the girl. The two of them got up and went to the dancefloor, joining the mass of swaying bodies.  
Dib filled two little plastic cups with punch, noticing Robbie Dillinger, his date, and a few other boys laughing. Dib scowled in their direction. He noticed Robbie eyeing Zim up and it made his blood boil.  He hated Robbie. Annoying Rich kid who dared to put his hands on Zim without consent. He suddenly had the urge to punch the daylights out of the guy. He decided instead to drift back to Zim, who was trying to catch his breath from dancing. The girl he had been with disappeared into the dance crowd. The two of them took a seat at a nearby table and Dib offered the little cup to his date. Zim chugged the drink, grateful for the sugar. Dib raised the cup to his lips, catching the scent of alcohol and he groaned inwardly. Someone had spiked the punch bowl. No wonder Robbie had been laughing at him. He cursed under his breathe. 

"Zim, hey, no more punch ok? Someone spiked it." Zim gave him an irritated look.  
"It's a party Dib filth, lighten up. Zim is always careful, aren't I?" he asked, prodding Dib in the side lightly. Dib rolled his eyes but gave a small smile anyway. "Come on," the Irken grinned, standing up and pulling Dib up with him. "Let's go dance!" Dib obliged, linking their arms together, walking onto the dancefloor despite feeling incredibly nervous as Zim swayed his hips and pressed up against him. Dib wished for more punch.  
About an hour had passed and Zim was finally beginning to wind down. He had been sipping on  punch the entire time, no doubt tipsy. He leaned onto Dib, his head resting on the humans shoulder. The music had switched to a slower song, couples all around them swayed together. Normally, Dib would be very uncomfortable in this situation. But between the alcohol and the happy chittering noises Zim made, he found himself at ease. Zim's arms were slung over his shoulders, Dib's hands around the Irken's slim waist. They swayed together for a few more moments before the song ended as the DJ announced a faster paced song, people whooping in joy as the bass sped up. Zim groaned and pulled Dib to the back entrance of the gym, Zim tripped over the edge of his dress and would have fallen if not for Dib's hand stabilizing the alien. The two of them stepped out into the night, sitting on the steps. Dib looked out at the night sky, the stars seemed to be brighter than usual. The moon cast a pale glow onto Zim's skin. He was coated in a light sheen of sweat, whether from all the dancing, the alcohol, or perhaps nerves, Dib couldn't tell. Possibly all three. Nevertheless, Zim looked beautiful and Dib wished he could see the alien's true eyes but it was far too risky out here in the open. Zim's thoughts were apparently far away as he opened his mouth.

"Robbie Dillinger deserves a slow death." He said. Dib snorted in spite of himself. 

"I couldn't agree more. There was a moment in there where I wanted to deck him across the face." 

Zim turned and looked at him, a small smile on his lips. He looked away. 

"I have a confession to make." He said. Dib quirked a brow in question. "That night Robbie was in my base, being horrendous and horrible," he started, looking to Dib for acknowledgment. Dib nodded. 

"Right well. That night when you got rid of him, I must say I found you very... admirable." He finished with a slight blush. That was as big a compliment Dib had ever recieved from him and he was a little lost for words. Dib rubbed the back of his neck in thought. 

"Well damn, Zim, I couldn't let him hurt you." He said rather lamely and Zim smiled. 

"You could have, and you didn't. I would not expect as much from my rival." He paused. "But I suppose we aren't really rivals anymore." 

Dib blinked at him. He knew this was true, but just when had it happened? Zim had long since given up on conquering the Earth. The two had been in a rather awkward friendship for a few years now. He smiled. 

"No, I suppose we aren't." He mused. 

"What are we then?" Zim asked rather bluntly. Dib shrugged.

"Friends, I guess." He answered. Zim nodded, seemingly deep in thought. 

"Tonight, you're my prom date," Zim stated, almost shy. "Maybe after this...we could go on a real human date?" He suggested, blushing. Dib would have been amused had he not been mildly shocked. 

"You want to go on a date?" He asked, scarcely believing this conversation to be real. Zim nodded, looking away slightly. 

"I know you aren't romantically interested in Zim as you once were," Zim mumbled. "But perhaps you would accompany me anyway?" He asked hopefully. 

"Zim..." Dib started, unsure of what to say. He had thought he was over Zim. 

Oh, who was he kidding. He could never be over Zim. Beautiful, interesting, clever Zim. He remembered their night at Billie Dillinger's party, Zim's confession of romantic attraction to him had been a shock. But he wasn't a dumb kid anymore. He was eighteen, a responsible adult. He looked over at Zim's shoulder. His shoulder. Dib could scream. Zim's lithe legs peeked out from under his dress, his shoulders and back exposed amd bare to the elements. Dib placed a hand tentatively on the alien's shoulder, feeling his smooth, green skin. Zim looked up at him curiously. Dib reached with his other hand, gently removing Zim's contact lenses, suddenly not caring if they were seen. Zim looked up at him with curiousity and confusion and before he knew what was happening they were kissing. Zim's lips were exactly the same as Dib remembered, cool to the touch. Dib had no idea if Zim had ever kissed anyone else, but he himself had sure as hell not. They pulled apart, Zim's large ruby red eyes half lidded and looking at him longingly. Dib was giddy with emotion and Zim blushed profusely. 

"I'd totally go on a date with you." Dib said with a smile. Zim grinned right back at him. 

"I'm glad to hear that." He chirped, a little breathless. They sat together in silence for a moment, Zim leaning onto Dib. 

"If you could go back to Irk, would you?" Dib found himself asking. Zim looked up at the stars in thought. 

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "As much as I miss the comforts of my homeworld, they certainly don't miss me." There was a sadness to his words, Dib draped a comforting arm across his shoulders. "No matter how much I long to leave, I must admit, this planet has certainly grown on me." he chuckled. "And though no one on Irk misses me, if I were to leave, you would miss me, yes?" Zim asked uncertain. Dib nodded. 

"I would." 

Zim hummed in approval. 

"So I suppose that's reason enough to stay here, if I had the choice." The Irken said quietly. 

 Dib handed Zim his contacts and the alien popped them back in. Dib stood up, helping Zim to his feet. The two of them walked back into the building, hands entwined together. 

They slow danced for nearly half an hour, despite the music being fast paced, drawing stares in their direction. Dib couldn't care less. Zim laid his head on Dib's chest, arms around his neck. Dib held him by the small of his back as they moved together. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Dib arrived home around midnight, his father was still awake. 

"Well, how was it?" Membrane asked excitedly, putting down the book he had been reading. Dib blushed. 

"It was nice, Dad." He said with a small awkward smile. "Thank you for all your help." he added. Professor Membrane beamed and ruffled his hair affectionately. 

"Where's your little friend?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"I took him home. He was really tired." Membrane tutted at this answer.

"And I trust you were safe?" 

"Oh my god Dad nothing happened!" Dib groaned. He was too tired and overstimulated for this right now. His father gave him a knowing look. 

"Nothing at all?" he asked. 

"We kissed okay? End of story." Dib rolled his eyes as his father beamed proudly, chuckling and resuming back to his book, satisfied. 

"He asked me out on a date." Dib found himself saying as he filled a glass with water. Membrane peeked over the top of his book and smiled. 

"Good for you, son." His father said. The two bid each other goodnight as Dib headed upstairs. 

Dib found it strange that his father was suddenly so interested in him and specifically he and Zim. Perhaps he was trying to make up for lost time. Perhaps he had seen a bit of himself in Dib. Perhaps he was proud his son attended his senior prom with a date. Perhaps he was getting senile as he got older. Dib laughed inwardly at that but he was too tired at this moment to care. He changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed. He wondered if Zim was sleeping. He looked out his window into the night sky, examining the stars. He closed his eyes, eager to get to sleep. He needed to be rested for his date with Zim tomorrow, after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally finished! It only took me a year lol...  
> I'm not too happy with the ending, it was rushed. But hopefully you guys enjoyed it.


End file.
